How Shopify changes the game of e-commerce
With its user-friendly website that delivers goods to customers with speed and ease, Amazon pioneered an online retail experience unmatched by its competitors — until now.
Through Shopify, thousands of small, medium, and large brands can now deliver the type of online retail experiences and quick order fulfillments offered only by Amazon until recently. Thanks to both its existing and newly announced offerings, Shopify witnessed significant growth in the value of its stock over the past couple of weeks. And, it’s no wonder why. Shopify is a game-changer.
Since Shopify’s actions affect the entire world of e-commerce, it’s important to be in the know.
Here’s what’s important:
How Shopify won success so far
Without causing businesses to break the bank or hire a team of coders, Shopify allows enterprises of nearly any size to bring their point-of-sale (POS) to a variety of locations — from online stores and social media to brick-and-mortar, pop-up, and in-person locations. Additionally, Shopify integrates data and lets users manage each POS from a single easy-to-use online dashboard.
Simply put, these offerings allow brands to compete on a global scale with relatively little investment or need for technical know-how.
According to Ryan Anderson, the director of performance marketing and analytics at the e-commerce agency, FortyFour, those offerings set Shopify on track to become the third-largest online retailer, just behind Amazon and eBay.
How Shopify’s expanded core offerings change the game
A network of fulfillment centers
First of all, Shopify’s Fulfillment Network will eventually give businesses who use the platform’s services access to an entire network of distribution and order-fulfillment centers located across several states, including Texas, Georgia, California, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. Through machine-learning, Shopify uses customers’ information to calculate which cost-fulfillment center can deliver packages to customers for the lowest cost and in the quickest amount of time.
That’s a big deal, especially since customers flock to Amazon in the first place due to the company’s ability to deliver goods shortly after customers complete their online checkout. While Shopify might not be able to compete directly with the low cost of Amazon’s two-day shipping, creating a network of fulfillment centers brings Shopify and its customers one step closer to the speed of Amazon.
3-D tech adoption
While Shopify’s increased offerings include a simpler and more integrative POS management system, what’s even more notable is Shopify’s adoption of 3-D and AR (augmented reality) technology. Using this tech, businesses utilizing Shopify can create and feature 3-D renderings of their products on their online store for customers to interact with. 3-D models give e-commerce shoppers increased access to information, allowing them to make more informed online purchasing decisions.
According to Cynthia Savard Saucier, Shopify’s director of user-experience (UX), interaction with a 3-D model of a product makes a customer twice as likely to make an online purchase. 3-D models lessen the risk of online shopping and continue to make it easier than going to a physical location for the customer.
Enabling evolution as consumer expectations evolve
Since Amazon delivers it, customers now expect an online shopping experience that’s intuitive, fast, and user-friendly. In the light of these changing expectations, Shopify gives small and medium-sized businesses the tools to customize their online stores as consumer preferences continue to evolve.
With Shopify, Amazon isn’t the only online retailer currently driving innovation or changing norms surrounding e-commerce. Now, thousands of brands influence the world of online retail as well, which opens up even more possibilities in regards to what the future might hold.
The Takeaway:
- Open a Shopify store! It’s free (at first) and very easy.
- Start testing integrations and options. You’ll soon realize how easy Shopify is to use as a platform.
- Take these lessons to your business. Ask how you can make processes and development easier through using off-the-shelf tools + infrastructure like this.
Want to learn more? Feel free to reach out at any time. We would love to chat!
The above piece was written by the Latitude Supercharge Research Team, which includes Connor Beck and Carter Jensen
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Resources and original reporting of the above points covered by the following publications— Ad Week, Business Wire, Retail Dive, Shopify
At Latitude, we love taking incredible brands of all sizes and elevating them through tech-fueled experiences that add true value. From pop-up retail to permanent build-outs, our team brings brand stories and modern-day commerce together to truly stand out. Want to learn more? See our case studies. Give us a shout.
Additional Resources
Want to learn more? Our 2019 retail report is now available and includes a long list of case studies and insights from Shopify, Dollar Shave Club, and much more.
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